Am I Eligible to Retire?

Retiree Benefits for Regular Faculty and Staff
Who Retire On or After 7/1/1996 (4R)

Whose most recent date of hire or rehire is before 1/1/1996,but who were not eligible to retire as of 1/1/1996

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive Post-Retirement Benefits under this policy you must satisfy the following requirements:

Prior to January 1, 1996 you were hired or rehired into a position that allowed you to receive the full range of University Benefit Plans;

You remain in continuous employment in a benefits-eligible position until you retire; and

When you retire you are at least age 55 and have completed at least 10 years of service.

If you were hired prior to 1996, terminated employment, or moved into a position that does not entitle you to receive the full range of University Benefit Plans, and are later moved or rehired after 1996 into a benefits-eligible position, you will not be eligible for retiree benefits under this policy. Instead, your benefits will be determined under the Post-Retirement Benefit Plan for those hired or rehired on 1/1/1996 or thereafter (5R).

Prior Service Credit

You are eligible to retire if you are a regular full-time or part-time member of faculty or staff, age 55 or over, with 10 or more years of cumulative service.

The ten-year service requirement may be met by cumulative employment at the University or another higher education institution. To receive prior service credit for another institution, you must complete the Retiree Benefits Service Credit Form. This form is also available from the Benefits Office.

Returning to Work After Retiring

University of Rochester Retirees who return to employment at the University should consult with the Benefits Division of the Office of Human Resources prior to their return to work to discuss the impact of their return to work on their benefit plan coverage. Once retired, Post-Retirement Benefits continue to be based on your employment status, age, and years of service at the time of initial retirement, even if you later return to work for the University. There is no adjustment to the retiree level, years of service or age calculation to determine the level of Post-Retirement Benefits based upon Post-Retirement Rehire and employment.

All University of Rochester Retirees who return to work at the University will need to be reviewed by the Benefits Division of the Office of Human Resources prior to reemployment.

Retirement Program Notice
The IRS prohibits the termination of employment by an individual with the intent to be rehired in order to access funds in the Retirement Program of the University or members of its controlled group. As of August 1, 2017, members of the controlled group of the University of Rochester include:
Highland Hospital, Highlands at Brighton, Highlands at Pittsford, Highlands Living Center, UR Medicine Home Care (VNS), Visiting Nurse Signature Care, High Tech Rochester, Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital, Jones Memorial Hospital and FF Thompson Health Systems, Inc.

Retiree Benefits for Regular Faculty and Staff
Who were hired or rehired 1/1/1996 and thereafter (5R)

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive Retiree Benefits under this policy you must satisfy the following requirements:

On or after January 1, 1996, you were hired or rehired into a position that allowed you to receive the full range of University Benefit Plans;

You remain in continuous employment in a benefits-eligible position until you retire; and

When you retire you are at least age 60 and have completed at least 10 years of service.

If you were hired prior to 1996, terminated employment or moved into a position that does not entitle you to receive the full range of University Benefit Plans (i.e. TAR), and are later moved or rehired after 1996 into a benefits-eligible position, you will be eligible for Retiree benefits under this policy. You will not be eligible for benefits under the Retiree Benefit plan for those whose most recent date of hire or rehire is before 1/1/96 (4R).

Prior Service Credit

You are eligible to retire if you are a regular full-time or part-time member of faculty or staff, age 60 or over, with 10 or more years of cumulative service.

The ten-year service requirement may be met by cumulative employment at the University or another higher education institution, as long as there is continuous employment at the University for the immediate 5 years prior to retirement. To receive prior service credit for another institution, you must complete the Retiree Benefits Service Credit Form. This form is also available from the Benefits Office.

Returning to Work After Retiring

University of Rochester Retirees who return to employment at the University should consult with the Benefits Division of the Office of Human Resources prior to their return to work to discuss the impact of their return to work on their benefit plan coverages. Once retired, Retiree Benefits continue to be based on your employment status, age, and years of service at the time of initial retirement, even if you later return to work for the University. There is no adjustment to the retiree level, years of service or age calculation to determine the level of Retiree Benefits based upon post-retirement rehire and employment.

All University of Rochester Retirees who return to work at the University will need to be reviewed by the Benefits Division of the Office of Human Resources prior to reemployment.

Retirement Program Notice
The IRS prohibits the termination of employment by an individual with the intent to be rehired in order to access funds in the Retirement Program of the University or members of its controlled group. As of August 1, 2017, members of the controlled group of the University of Rochester include:
Highland Hospital, Highlands at Brighton, Highlands at Pittsford, Highlands Living Center, UR Medicine Home Care (VNS), Visiting Nurse Signature Care, High Tech Rochester, Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital, Jones Memorial Hospital and FF Thompson Health System, Inc.